OCOTILLO, Calif. (KGTV) -- Border Patrol agents rescued eight undocumented immigrants from Mexico who were lost and out of drinking water Tuesday near the mountains in eastern San Diego County.
U.S. Border Patrol agents from the El Centro Sector rescued the men from three separate incidents within six hours, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection news release.
El Centro Sector Dispatch notified the Border Patrol of a 5:11 p.m. distress call from a mountainous area near Ocotillo. At about 5:45 p.m., agents spotted the individual one-half mile south of Interstate 8 near the In-Ko-Pah Park Road exit. He was taken into custody and transported to the El Centro Sector Processing Center.
The second incident occurred at about 9:40 p.m. when another distress call from a mountainous area near Ocotillo. At approximately 10:30 p.m., agents located the two adult males, both Mexican nationals, about 10 miles north of the International border.
A third distress call came in around 9:50 p.m., about five adults who were lost in the mountains. Finally, around 11:15 p.m., agents located the individuals several hundred feet north of the border.
El Centro Station’s Mountain Disrupt Unit, the Air and Marine Operations (AMO), and Yuma Air Branch responded to the area to assist in the search.
All eight Mexican Nationals were taken into custody and transported to the El Centro Sector Processing Center.
Since October, Border Patrol agents in the El Centro area have rescued 164 people who were lost or in distress.
